Horse Master
"A good horse and a fine woman are all a man really needs. But only trust the horse." Advanced (RotIQ) Horse masters are responsible for the well-being, training, and breeding of horses, and they hold positions of importance in all levels of Kislevite society. Amongst the steppes nomads, the horsemaster is often second only to the ataman, as his skills guarantee the continued survival of his community. No horse master holds more power in Kislev than the koniushy, the Ice Queen’s own Master of the Horse. This influential boyar maintains not only the Tzarina’s stables but her kennels as well. Thus, his office has access to a sizeable portion of the Ice Queen’s treasury, all to train and equip her animals to the best possible standard. Main Profile Secondary Profile Skills: Animal Care (Int), Animal Training (Fel), Charm (Fel), Charm Animal (Fel), Consume Alcohol (T) or Dodge Blow (Ag), Drive (S), Perception (Int), Ride (Ag) Talents: Coolheaded or Hardy, Specialist Weapon Group (Entangling), Very Strong Trappings: The horsemaster naturally rides a Kislevite horse or warhorse equipped with saddle, harness, and at least one saddlebag to carry a grooming kit and extra feed. Horsemasters also find lassos or whips useful, and like most Kislevites, they wear leather jacks and leggings. Career Entries Drover, Horse Archer, Horse Coper, Mercenary, Noble, Outlaw, Outrider, Pistolier, Roadwarden, Scout, Soldier, Squire, Steppes Nomad, Winged Lancer Career Exits Ataman, Drover, Horse Archer, Horse Coper, Merchant, Sergeant, Winged Lancer Yuri Kovalenko Yuri has seen more than his share of excitement and adventures. A steppe nomad of the Ungol who went on to serve as a horse archer in the armies of the Tsarina, Yuri has lived through interesting times. He fought against the great Storm of Chaos. He was at Mazhorod when Boyarin Kurkosk defeated an army of Chaos. Now he has had enough of war and adventures, and simply wants to be left alone with his horses. He breeds some of the finest Kislevite warhorses in the land and is proud of his stock. The name “Kovalenko” holds a great deal of prestige in certain circles, but such fame means little to this proud horsemaster. Yuri cannot entirely escape his past. On the battlefields of Mazhorod, just before victory was won, a dying Chaos champion stumbled towards Yuri. The Ungol put his final arrow in the fiend’s gut, and laid the warped half-man low. The champion grasped in his hand a sparkling red jewel that seemed to burn with its own inner fire. Yuri pocketed the treasure and told no one. Since then he has grown darker in his moods and more and more isolated from his fellow men. There is a reason for this – Yuri has gained his first Chaos mutation thanks to exposure to the arcane influence of the jewel – a clawed hand. Yuri can feel himself changing and knows it is only a matter of time before he transforms fully into a beast and goes hunting for man-flesh. He hopes that by living far away and alone, he can keep his shame secret. The House of Shirkov Members of the clan of Shirkov have been horsemasters and horse copers for as long as any can remember. Still leading a nomadic existence, they move from settlement to settlement, town to town, leading their herd and trading for everything they may require. Such travelling bands have a terrible reputation for harbouring thieves and cheating their clients, but the truth is that the House of Shirkov is nothing of the sort. Patriarch Dimitri Shirkov demands honour and honesty from his entire clan. They trade in premium horse flesh and home-made kvas so strong it will remove paint, and their prices are very reasonable for those who treat them with respect. Furthermore, Dimitri is a man who values loyalty and friendship far more than law. If you ever get in trouble and need to be smuggled out of a dangerous city, Dimitri (and his wagons with their concealed compartments for dodging the taxes on kvas) is a good man to know.